Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Names and faces
■ U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has proposed resolving a Twitter feud involving Ron Perlman with a wrestling match between the 70-year-old actor — known for his role as “Hellboy” — and U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a former wrestling coach. Cruz made the proposal, accompanied by a $10,000 bet on the outcome, in an early morning tweet Monday in which he came to Jordan’s defense as Perlman sparred on Twitter with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. Perlman had objected to a tweet by Gaetz in which he criticized a recent vote by the U.S. Soccer board of directors repealing a policy that requires players to stand for the national anthem. Perlman posted a photo of Jordan, writing: “You’re lucky for this guy, Matt. If it weren’t for him you’d be the ugliest politician walking.” Cruz joined the fray, writing: “Listen Hellboy, you talk good game when you’ve got Hollywood makeup & stuntmen. But I’ll bet $10k — to the nonpolitical charity of your choice — that you couldn’t last 5 min in the wrestling ring w/ Jim Jordan w/o getting pinned. You up for it?” Perlman’s response referred to episodes during the 2016 Republican primary contest in which then-candidate Donald Trump insulted Cruz’s wife and alleged that Cruz’s father was with John F. Kennedy’s assassin. “Wait, is this THEE Ted Cruz?” Perlman wrote. “Is this the same guy let little Donnie call his wife A dog and his father an assassin and now kisses his a**?” Perlman then suggested that instead of wrestling Jordan, he wrestle Cruz and offered to give $50,000 to Black Lives Matter if Cruz accepted. In a later tweet, Cruz didn’t mention Perlman’s counter-offer, writing: “You sure seem scared to wrestle Jordan (whom you keep insulting). Can’t take the heat? Need to get a manicure?”
■ Drake is the leading nominee at the 2020 BET Awards, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary later this month. BET announced Monday that Drake is nominated for six honors, including video of the year and best male hip-hop artist. For best collaboration and the viewer’s choice award, Drake is nominated twice thanks to the hits “No Guidance” with Chris Brown and “Life Is Good” with Future. The 2020 BET Awards will air live June 28 across ViacomCBS networks, including CBS for the first time. The show, which will be a virtual celebration because of the coronavirus pandemic, will also air on BET and BET HER. Breakthrough rappers Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch follow Drake with five nominations each. Megan Thee Stallion, who recently topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her Beyoncé-assisted “Savage” remix, is nominated for video of the year, best female hip-hop artist, best collaboration, the viewer’s choice award and album of the year for Fever. Beyoncé, Minaj, Brown, Lizzo and DaBaby earned four nominations each.